Although, Island and Farm raised edible bird’s nests contain similar levels of amino acids, Wild Cave nests contain significantly higher amounts of minerals. Island nests carry the essence of the sea. Hence, it has a unique and distinctive fragrance and flavor that cannot be found in farm raised nests. Because of its uniqueness and rarity, Wild Cave nests command a much higher price. Because of this, many manufacturers come up with illegitimate techniques to produce and market farm raised nests as Wild Cave nests. Hello Nest is happy to provide the customers a few tips on how to distinguish genuine Island Bird’s Nest from fake imitations.
1. By Naked Eye
In their natural habitat, swiftlets build nest high on limestone walls of sea caves. These nests are constantly battered by wind, rain and storms. Overtime, the swiftlets adapted to the harsh living conditions and learned to make very solid nests with thicker strands of protein. They constantly enhance the nests, therefore, Wild Island nest appear very rugged and rough.
Wild Cave nest appear very rugged and rough with big protein strands
On the other hand, farm raised nests are not subjected to the harsh conditions therefore they are not as solidly built and tend to have a smooth surface with smaller fibers. You can think of Wild Island nest as a muscular athlete while the farm raised nest is a scrawny nerd.
Farm raised nests have smaller protein strands and have smooth surfaces
Some manufacturers employ sophisticated albeit illegitimate techniques to make farm raised nests look like Wild Cave nests. They do this by artificially weaving the protein strands together after removing them from the nests. The resulting “nest” appear similar to the genuine Wild Cave nest making it difficult for the consume to detect fake imitations with the naked eye.
2. The best way to distinguish authentic Island Birds Nest from fake imitations is by cooking:
As described above, Island nests are solid built hence they take much longer to cook, about 3 hours versus 30 minutes for the house nests. When cooked, the protein strands become soft but still has a certain toughness. In addition, the protein strands remain intact and stay separated rather than clumping together. On the other hand, house nests breakdown to small pieces and stick together.
After 30 minutes of cooking, protein strands of farm raised nest breakdown and clump together. If cooked longer, the protein strands will completely breakdown to jelly paste.
In the world of natural cuisine, there are few items that could match the nutritional value of edible bird’s nest. It has few dietary restriction and is suitable for all ages. Bird’s nest soup is considered an elixir of youth. It said to improve complexion and helps skin retain its natural beauty. It is the gold standard when it comes to food and a favorite among women. In addition, bird’s nest can also be used to stimulate the appetite and improve sleep. Bird’s nest soup can also help improve memory and enhance neural functions. Moreover, bird’s nest also help increase immunity and resistance against infections.
Hello Nest has continuously been ranked as the BEST SELLER of Premium Edible Bird’s Nests on Amazon since early 2016; we lead this category in terms of sales and customer reviews. Of all the comparable products, we have the highest ranked reviews with more than 90% of customers describing themselves as “very happy” with the quality of our product, the elegance of the packaging, and our excellent customer service.
Hello Nest – leading Edible Bird’s Nest supplier in the US and No. 1 on Amazon – is the best choice for your family!
Warning: Edible bird’s nest may interact with certain medications and/or trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Additional studies should evaluate whether these foods are safe during pregnancy.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article is for educational purposes only. Before using or ingesting ANY herbs, plants, or foods for medicinal purposes or otherwise, please consult a physician, medical herbalist or other suitable professional for advice.
Our products are available in many Asian stores throughout the US. >> Useful tips to locate stores where you can buy best Bird’s Nest Soup with highest grades and lowest prices. Any questions or need advice about edible bird’s nest, please contact 612-227-3769 for assistance.